STILL BATTLING

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR SOME OF US TO GET WITH IT AND JOIN INTO THE FUN OF SOCIAL MEDIA?
I HAD A SECOND LESSON TO TEACH ME HOW TO INSERT PICTURES INTO MY BLOGS, BUT WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? BOTH MYSELF AND TERRI MY TEACHER, COULDN'T FIND THE PROMPTS TO DO IT. THE TOOL BAR CONTAINING SOME OF THE COMMANDS WOULD NOT RE-APPEAR, HENCE LEAVING US BOTH LABOURING AND FRUSTRATED.
MAYBE SOMEONE OUT THERE COULD GIVE ME, STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS, AS TO HOW TO POST A PICTURE INTO MY BLOG, PLEAAAAASE!
I AM GOING TO SEND THIS PLEA OUT AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR A GUARDIAN ANGEL WITH A MAGIC WAND. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

CHEESE FESTIVAL

SA Cheese Festival
Franschhoek
Starts: Friday, 29th April 2011 10:00
Finish: Monday, 2nd May 2011 20:00
Venue: Bien Donne, Simondium
www.cheesefestival.co.za/

The award winning SA Cheese Festival, remains one of the most sought after culinary experiences of the year. Over the past eight years almost 200 000 consumers visited the annual festival.

Visitors can discover new cheeses, enjoy old favourites and return home with baskets filled with dairy and related products of their choice.

The festival is staged over four days to entice festival goers to taste and purchase their way through literally tons of cheese. Come and experiencing a palate pleasing sensation of an unrivalled selection of cheese, wines and other products.

WINDY DAY IN CAPE TOWN

I WOKE UP ON THURSDAY WITH THE SOUND OF THE HOWLING WIND.
THE METEOROLOGICAL PREDICTIONS WARNED US ABOUT THIS 65 KM/H SPEED, SO WE WERE EXPECTING IT. THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES FOR MANY MONTHS AND IT MADE ITS ENTRANCE IN FULL FORCE. DRIVING TO MY MEETING THAT MORNING, I REGRETTED NOT HAVIN G A CAMERA WITH ME. THE TREES WITH THEIR BRANCHES SHAKING TO AND FRO SEEMED TO HOLD ON TO EVERYTHING THEY HAD NO TO LOSE ONE OF THEIR PRECIOUS BRANCHES. EVERYWHERE, NEWSPAPERS AND PLASTIC BAGS, NOT FIRMLY HELD DOWN, FLEW AT THE WILL OF THE POWERFUL GUSTS WHICH LIFTED THEM OFF E PUSHED THEM UP AND DOWN AND IN EVERY DIRECTION. PEOPLE WALKING TO WORK OR JUST ON THEIR WAY TO SOMEWHERE, UPPERBODY BENT FORWARD, HAIR FLYING WILDLY IN DISARRAY, HOLDING A SCARF TIGHT AROUND THEIR NECK, CAREFULLY PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER WITH A STRAINED FACIAL EXPRESSION.
AND ALL ALONG, THE FRIGHTENING HOWL OF A POWERFUL FORCE CONFIDENT NO ONE CAN STOP IT OR COMPETE FOR THIS SHOW OF SUPREMACY.

AUTUM VINE LEAVES

APRIL IN THE WINELANDS IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, THE END OF MARCH GENERALLY HERALDS THE ARRIVAL OF FALL AND, HENCE, THE END OF THE HARVESTING OF GRAPES. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN IN STELLENBOSCH, AT THE ENTRANCE OF "DELHEIM" ESTATE. I LOVE THE DEEP HUES OF RED THAT COLOUR AND SET ALIGHT THE, ATTRACTIVELY SHAPED, LEAVES OF THE VINE. TO ME, THEY LOOK AS IF THEY ARE CONSUMED BY A PASSIONATE FIRE WHICH ALLOWS THEM, FOR A TIME STILL, TO SHARE THEIR MATURE BEAUTY FOR ALL TO SEE, BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF WINTER.

NATURE IS BEAUTIFUL IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER

I WAS BORN IN AFRICA WHERE THE SUN IS SUPPOSED TO SHINE MOST OF THE TIME. I LOVE THE BRIGHT, HOT RAYS OF THE SUN AND FEEL THAT THEY SEEM TO BESTOW A SPECIAL QUALITY UPON COLOURS, AND WHATEVER THEY TOUCH. FOR ME, IT IS AS IF THEY USE A MAGIC WAND THAT CARESSES THE TREES AND FLOWERS, THE SKY, GRASS AND THE SEA, AND INSTANTLY MAKES THEM SHINE WITH RESPLENDANT HUES.
BUT WHO AM I TO SAY THAT NATURE CANNOT BE AS BEAUTIFUL TO THE EYE WHEN THE CLOUDS HAVE CHOSEN TO HOLD HANDS SO TIGHT THAT ALL OTHER CELESTIAL MANIFESTATIONS ARE HELD AT BAY FROM APPEARING THAT DAY?
ONE SUCH SITUATION PRESENTED ITSELF ONE DAY WHEN I WAS ACCOMPANYING MY CLIENTS TO THE FAMOUS CAPE POINT NATURE RESERVE. THIS IS A VAST RESERVE SITUATED AT THE SOUTH/WESTERN MOST PART OF CAPE TOWN ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. IT IS ALSO THE PLACE BARTHOLOMEO DIAZ CIRCUMNAVIGATED IN 1487 ON HIS WAY TO THE EAST IN SEARCH OF THE SILK AND SPICES ROUTE.
IT IS ALSO AT CAPE POINT THAT THE WATERS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN, LEAD BY THE WARM MADAGASCAR AND MOZAMBIQUE CURRENTS, COME TO MEET THE ICY BENGUELA CURRENT WATERS.
ON THE EAST SIDE OF THIS PENINSULA IS THE BEAUTIFUL FALSE BAY, SO GREAT THAT MANY NAVIGATORS THOUGHT THEY WERE ENTERING THE OCEAN, ONLY TO REALISE THAT THEY HAD BEEN MISLAID BY APPEARANCES.
IT IS OF FALSE BAY, ON A CLOUDY DAY, THAT I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN I BEGAN WRITING THIS BLOG. TOO DELIGHTED BY THE COLOURS OF GREY AND THE LIGHT THAT SOMEHOW FOUND ITS WAY ON THE WATERS' SURFACE, I WAS COMPELLED TO TAKE A COUPLE OF PHOTOGRAPHS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ONE OF THESE WITH YOU IN THE HOPE THAT YOU ARE AS APPRECIATIVE OF THE SURROUNDING BEAUTY AS I WAS WHEN I SHOT IT.

I AM FRUSTRATED

SINCE I GOT INTRODUCED TO THIS FORM OF COMUNICATION, A LITTLE OVER TEN DAYS AGO, I SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO POST MY THOUGHTS. EVERYTIME I WRITE A NEW TEXT I'M UNABLE TO GET IT THROUGH TO THE CORRECT CONCLUSION AND IT ENDS "SAVED" IN MY DRAFTS.
I MUST GET IN TOUCH WITH TERRY TO COME AND SAVE THE DAY FOR ME OTHERWISE THIS EXERCISE WILL HAVE ONLY BEEN A FLASH IN THE PAN!
I HAVE LOTS TO SAY AND MANY PHOTOS I WANT TO POST TOO.
I AM LEAVING CAPE TOWN ON SATURDAY TO COLLECT A HONEYMOON COUPLE ARRIVING FROM ITALY AND STARTING THE FIRST LEG OF THEIR TRIP ON THE GARDEN ROUTE.
I'LL BE DRIVING THEM THROUGH SOME AWESOME PLACES OF OUR EASTERN CAPE COAST ALONG THE INDIAN OCEAN.
THIS IS A LUSH,GREEN AREA, WITH MANY CATTLE FARMS ON RICH GRAZING FIELDS, RIVERS, BEACHES, FORESTS, LAKES, LAGOONS AND NATURE RESERVES.
I NEVER GET TIRED OF RETURNING TO THE GARDEN ROUTE, MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE FOR THE SUN TO SHINE IN ORDER TO GIVE MY CLIENTS THE RIOT OF COLOURS THAT LOOK SO RESPLENDENT IN THE SUNLIGHT.
THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT IT ISN'T BEAUTIFUL UNDER THE CLOUDS, OR EVEN A FINE DRIZZLE.
AFTER ALL, TO MAINTAIN SUCH A RICH VEGETATION, ONE NEEDS THE BLESSED SHOWERS THAT ARE SENT TO US AS A GIFT FROM ABOVE.
WELL, NOW THAT I HAVE TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT THIS LOVELY AREA OF THE CAPE, I HOPE THAT I CAN FIND THE WAY TO POST THIS TEXT AND, IF I AM VERY LUCKY, MAYBE EVEN A PHOTO OR TWO.

DU CAIRE A CAPE TOWN

JE SUIS NEE AU CAIRE, EN EGYPTE, AU TEMPS OU ON SE REFERAIT A CETTE TERRE MAGIQUE COMME: “LE PAYS DE COCAGNE”.

CETTE TERRE RICHE D’OPPORTUNITES, CULTURELLE ET COSMOPOLITE, LE BERCEAU DE CIVILISATIONS SUBLIMES, DE MERVEILLES ARCHEOLOGIQUES, COMME LE SPHINX, LES PYRAMIDES ET LES TEMPLES DES PHARAONS.

JE SUIS ITALIENNE DE NATIONALITE, D’EDUCATION FRANCAISE, DE DESCENDANCE ESPAGNOLE. MON HERITAGE RESSEMBLE PLUS A UN POT POURRI DE CULTURES MEDITERRANEENES.

EN CHEMIN VERS MON DOMICILE ACTUEL, J’AI BEAUCOUP VOYAGE ET VECU DANS PLUSIEURS PAYS DIFFERENTS.

J’AI PASSE UN AN EN FRANCE, OU J’AI ETE PENSIONNAIRE A “L’ECOLE DE JEUNES FILLES” A VERSAILLES, AFIN DE CONTINUER MES ETUDES.

CELLES-CI FURENT INTERROMPUES PAR LES CIRCONSTANCES POLITIQUES, QUI FORCERENT LE SOUDAIN EXODUS DE MA FAMILLE, HORS D’EGYPTE.

UN AN PLUS TARD, JE REJOIGNIS MES PARENTS A MILAN, EN ITALIE. GRACE A MA CONNAISSANCE DU FRANCAIS, DE L’ANGLAIS, DE L’ESPAGNOL ET DE L’ARABE, JE RECUS MON PREMIER POSTE DE TRAVAIL A LA “FIERA DI MILANO”, COMME INTERPRETE DE LANGUES ETRANGERES.

C’EST ENCORE UN AN PLUS TARD QUE MON TRANSFERT A TEL AVIV, EN ISRAEL, CONSTITUAIT LA PROCHAINE PHASE DE MA VIE. JE RECUS UN POSTE DE SECRETAIRE DU DIRECTEUR ADMINISTRATIF A LA COMPAGNIE AERIENNE   “ALITALIA”, J’APPRIS UNE NOUVELLE LANGUE: “L’HEBREU”, JE PRIS UN EPOUX ET EUS MON PREMIER BEBE.

EN 1968, JE SUIVIS MON EPOUX EN AFRIQUE DU SUD, SON PAYS NATAL.

ETABLIE A JOHANNESBURG, J’EUS MON SECOND BEBE, ET J’OUVRIS UNE AFFAIRE DE VETEMENTS A LA MODE POUR ENFANTS.

QUELQUES ANNEES PLUS TARD JE DEVENAIS GUIDE DE TOURISME AUX MINES D’OR DE “SIMMER AND JACK” ET AU NOUVEAU “GOLD MINE MUSEUM”.

JE RECUS UN DIPLOME POUR GUIDE DE TOURISME APRES UN AN D’ETUDES AU “WITS TECHNIKON COLLEGE”, CE QUI ME PERMIT DE COMMENCER   MON TRAVAIL DE GUIDE DANS LES PROVINCES DU TRANSVAAL, NORD WEST, AU NORD AINSI QU’AU NATAL. JE FIS CE TRAVAIL PENDANT QUELQUES ANNEES MAIS, AYANT VRAIMENT REPRIS LE GOUT DES ETUDES, JE REJOIGNIS MA FILLE A L’UNIVERSITE DU WITWATERSRAND, POUR REDEVENIR ETUDIANTE.

JE CHOISIS LES COURS D’ANTHROPOLOGIE SOCIALE AINSI QUE LA PSYCHOLOGIE, ET QUATRE ANS PLUS TARD, PAR L’INTERMEDIARE DE L’UNIVERSITE “UNISA”, LE FRANCAIS.

A PARTIR DE LA DERNIERE DECENNIE DU SIECLE PASSE, J’ACCOMPAGNAIS MON EPOUX DANS SES VOYAGES ET J’EUS LE GRAND PLAISIR DE FAIRE “LE TOUR DU MONDE EN 80 JOURS”, AINSI QUE PLUSIEURS AUTRES A DESTINATION DE L’EUROPE, L’ASIE, L’AUSTRALIE, LE BRESIL ET LES ETATS UNIS.

VERS LE MILIEU DES ANNEES 90, JE SUIVIS MON EPOUX AUX ETATS UNIS OU J’AI VECU A SAN DIEGO, EN CALIFORNIE, JUSQU’A L’AN 2001.

MON VISA NE ME PERMETTANT PAS DE TRAVAILLER, J’EUS LE PRIVILEGE DE FAIRE PLUSIEURS VOYAGES, DE PRENDRE DES COURS D’ART/ARTISANAT, ET DE PARTICIPER A DES CONFERENCES DONNEES PAR DES AUTEURS ET PSYCHOLOGUES AMERICAINS TRES CONNUS.

DURANT UN COURT

RETOUR EN ISRAEL, J’OUVRIS UN ATELIER ARTISANAL, OU J’EUS LE PLAISIR DE CREER DES OBJETS ET DE DONNER DES LECONS A DES ETUDIANTES ADULTES INTERESSEES DANS CETTE FORME D’ART.

CETTE EPOQUE MARQUA AUSSI LA FIN DE MON MARIAGE ET MA DECISION FUT PRISE DE RETOURNER VIVRE DANS MON PAYS D’ADOPTION.

DES LES PREMIERS JOURS DE MON ARRIVEE EN AFRIQUE DU SUD, CE PAYS M’A TOUJOURS ETE TRES CHER. JE PENSE DONC QUE CE FUT TRES NATUREL D’Y RETOURNER.

POUR COMMENCER, JE VECUS A JOHANNESBURG, MAIS BIENTOT JE PRIS LA DECISION DE M’INSTALLER A CAPE TOWN QUI AVAIT TOUJOURS ETE MA VILLE DE PREDILECTION.

UN DIPLOME EN TOURISME DE L’ACADEMIE LIVINGSTONE ME PERMIS DE REPRENDRE MON TRAVAIL DE GUIDE DE LANGUES ETRANGERES.

J’AIME BEAUCOUP MON TRAVAIL QUI ME PERMET DE RENCONTRER DES PERSONNES SYMPATHIQUES, EN VACANCES, AUXQUELLES J’AI LE PLAISIR DE MONTRER LES BEAUTES NATURELLES ET  DE PARTAGER MON AMOUR POUR LA VILLE DU CAP ET L’AFRIQUE DU SUD.    

DAL CAIRO ALLA CITTA DEL CAPO

DAL CAIRO ALLA CITTA DEL CAPO

SONO NATA AL CAIRO D’EGITTO.

A QUELL’EPOCA CHIAMAVAMO QUESTO PAESE MAGICO; “LE PAYS DE COCAGNE”.

UNA TERRA COSMOPOLITA, RICCA DI OPPORTUNITA E COLTURA,

LA CULLA DI CIVILIZZAZIONI SUBLIME, MERAVIGLIE ARCHEOLOGICHE COME LE PIRAMIDI, LA SFINGE ED I TEMPII DEI FARAONI.

DI CITTADINANZA ITALIANA, EDUCAZIONE FRANCESE E SPAGNOLA DI LINEAGGIO, LE MIE ORIGINI SEMBRANO PIU COME UN “POT POURRI” MEDITERRANEO.

HO VIAGGIATO E VISSUTO IN TANTI PAESI VARI DURANTE IL LUNGO PERCORSO FINO ALL’ARRIVO AL MIO DOMICILIO ATTUALE.

DOPO LA MIA PARTENZA DAL PAESE NATALE, SONO STATA IN UN COLLEGGIO A VERSAILLES, IN FRANCIA. LI, HO POTUTO CONTINUARE LA MIA EDUCAZIONE  CHE FU INTERROTTA A CAUSA DELLE CIRCOSTANZE, CHE CAUSARONO L’ESODO BRUSCO DELLA MIA FAMIGLIA.

DA VERSAILLES, HO GIUNTO I MIEI GENITORI A MILANO DOVE HO VISSUTO UN’ALTRO ANNO.

GRAZIE ALLE MIE CONOSCENZE LINGUISTICHE (INGLESE, FRANCESE, SPAGNOLO ED ARABO) HO POTUTO INCOMINCIARE LA MIA PREMATURA CARRIERA DI LAVORO COME INTERPRETE DI LINGUE STRANIERE ALLA “FIERA DI MILANO”.

UN’ANNO PIU TARDI, LA FASE SUCCEDENTE DELLA MIA VITA COMINCIO CON UNO SPOSTAMENTO VERSO TEL AVIV IN ISRAELE.  TROVAI UN POSTO DI LAVORO ALL’ALITALIA, COME SEGRETARIA DEL DIRETTORE AMMINISTRATIVO. IMPARAI UNA NUOVA LINGUA: “L’EBRAICO”, MI SONO SPOSATA E SONO DIVENTATA MAMMA.

NEL 1968, HO SEGUITO MIO SPOSO AL SUO PAESE NATALE, IL SUD AFRICA, DOVE CI SIAMO STABILITI NELLA CITTA DI JOHANNESBURG, E DOVE E NATO IL MIO SECONDO FIGLIO.

COMINCIANDO LA MIA AZIENDA DI ABBIGLIAMENTO PER BAMBINI, SONO DIVENTATA, PIU TARDI, GUIDA IN LINGUE STRANIERE ALLE MINIERE D’ORO DI: “SIMMER AND JACK” E,  IL NUOVO “GOLD MINE MUSEUM”.

DOPO AVER COMPLETATO UN DIPLOMA PER GUIDE TURISTICHE AL COLLEGGIO DEL: “WITS TECHNIKON”, HO LAVORATO, QUALCHE ANNO, COME GUIDA NELLE PROVINCIE DEL TRANSVAAL, IL NORD, NORD-OVEST E NATAL.

PRESA DAL STIMOLO DEGLI STUDI, HO RIPRESO LA VITA DI STUDENTESSA E, INSIEME A MIA FLIGLIA, HO GIUNTO “ L’UNIVERSITA DEL WITWATERSRAND”, PER STUDIARE L’ANTROPOLOGIA SOCIALE, PSICHOLOGIA, E QUALCHE ANNO PIU TARDI, IL FRANCESE TRAMITE L’UNIVERSITA DI “UNISSA”.

DURANTE L’ULTIMO DECENNIO PRIMA DEL VENTESIMO SECOLO, COMINCIAI A VIAGGIARE CON MIO SPOSO, FACENDO IL “GIRO DEL MONDO IN 80 GIORNI”, SICCHE TANTI ALTRI VIAGGI IN EUROPA, ISRAELE, L’ASIA, L’AUSTRALIA, IL BRAZILE E GLI STATI UNITI.

DALLA META DEI NOVANTA, HO SEGUITO MIO SPOSO AGLI STATI UNITI. LI, HO VISSUTO FINE AI DUEMILA UNO, NELLA CITTA DI SAN DIEGO, CHE SI TROVA IN CALIFORNIA.

QUESTI FURONO DEGLI ANNI DURANTE I QUALI HO VIAGGIATO MOLTO, E PARTECIPATO A PARECCHI CORSI D’INTERESSE PERSONALE: LEZIONI DI ARTIGIANATO ED ARTE, E CONFERENZE DI “BODY & SOUL”, CHE FURONO PRESENTATE DA VARI AUTORI E PSICOLOGI AMERICANI.

NEL 2001 SONO RITORNATA IN ISRAELE DOVE HO APERTO UN PICCOLO STUDIO D’ARTE/ARTIGGIANATO, DOVE HO CREATO CERTI OGGETTI E DATO DELLE LEZIONI A STUDENTI INTERESSATI.

A QUESTO PUNTO, LA FINE DEL MIO MATRIMONIO FU LA RAGIONE PER LA DECISIONE DEL MIO RITORNO AL MIO PAESE DI ADOZIONE.

IL SUD AFRICA MI E STATO VICCINO AL CUORE SIN DAI PRIMI GIORNI DELLA MIA NUOVA VITA A JOHANNESBURG. PER QUESTA RAGIONE E STATO NATURALE, ALL’INIZIO, DI RITORNARCI.

FINALMENTE, LA MIA DECISIONE FU DI STABILIRMI A CAPE TOWN, LA CITTA DEI MIEI SOGNI.

AVENDO PRESO IL DIPLOMA IN TURISMO DALL”ACCADEMIA LIVINGSTONE “, HO RIPRESO IL MIO LAVORO DI GUIDA TURISTICA PER LINGUE STRANIERE, CHE MI PERMETTE D’INCONTRARE PERSONE INTERESSANTI CON LEQUALI POSSO CONDIVIDERE IL MIO AMORE E GODERE DELLE TANTE BELLEZZE CHE IL CAPO ED IL SUD AFRICA HANNO DA OFFRIRE. 

AFRICA

In my work, I have the great pleasure to accompany many visitors to our corner of the Planet. I am yet to find one who hasn't left our shores enchanted, beguiled and carrying deep in his/her heart, what is so well described in French and Italian as: "Le mal d'Afrique", or, "Il mal d'Africa".

This could literally translate as: "The sickness of Africa". What is better meant here, is a kind of "sickness" that takes hold of your heart, very much like a "Lovesick" person. As such, once visited then left, one starts to feel a longing to return and explore more.

For centuries, whoever rounded the Cape, did not do so with indifference. Bartholomeo Diaz called it "Cabo Tormentoso", his King in Portugal renamed it "Cabo de Boa Esperanza", whilst Sir Francis Drake would exclaim: "The fairest Cape of them all".

I know that I am biased about Cape Town, but I'm not altogether wrong. The only way to find out is to come and see for yourselves. I'll be very happy to accompany you and help you discover.

MY OBJECTIVE

The obvious reason is to be in contact with my many relatives, friends and business friends. A very special objective is to talk about my work as a tour guide and boast about the beauty of South Africa, my country of adoption and residence. More specifically, I want to highlight Cape Town and the Cape, my present domicile and one of the most beautiful areas of the World.

If you think for a moment that I exaggerate, please don't. I agree that the World is full of beautiful places, I can say this with conviction, having been fortunate to visit many of them myself. However, you must trust me on this, Cape Town is a jewel among the jewels of this Earth and should certainly not be missed.  

TAKING A NEW STEP

Hooray! for me.

I'm finally taking one more step into the 21st century.

While others, around me everywhere, seem to take giant steps ahead, I am happy and proud to advance at my own pace, which is more reminiscent of a tortoise!

Be it as it may, I am joining the rest of the world by getting myself set up with a blog and a Facebook Address. The very capable and I may add, beautiful social media expert to do it for me, is the daughter of a very dear friend of mine and her name is Terri.

A SHORT STORY FROM CAIRO TO CAPE TOWN

I was born in Cairo, Egypt at a time when we used to refer to this magical land as: “Le pays de Cocagne”: a land of opportunity, cultured and cosmopolitan, the cradle of sublime civilizations, archaeological marvels like the Sphinx and the Pyramids and its Pharaohs’ Temples.

I am Italian by Nationality, French by education, of Spanish descent, my background sounds more like a Pot Pourri of Mediterranean cultures.

On my long journey to my present home, I have travelled and lived in many countries. After departing from my birth country, I spent a year in France, at a boarding school in Versailles, where I continued my interrupted education, due to the political circumstances which caused my family’s sudden exodus from Egypt.

This was followed by another year in Milan, Italy, where I joined my parents and where, thanks to my knowledge of English, French, some Spanish and Arabic, I got to start my early working career as a foreign language interpreter at the “Fiera di Milano”.

A year later, a move to Tel Aviv, Israel, started the next phase of my life during which I started to work for “ Alitalia, Italian Airlines”, as PA to the Administrative Director, learnt a new language: Hebrew, got married and had my first child.

In 1968, I followed my husband to his country of birth, South Africa, where I lived in Johannesburg, had my second child, started my own business in childrens’ fashions, later becoming a tourist guide for Simmer & Jack Gold Mines and the newly opened Gold Mine Museum.

I completed a Diploma for Tourist Guiding with the “Wits Technikon College” and started touring in the Transvaal, North, North West and Natal for a few years until, bitten by the studying bug, I resumed the life of a student and joined the University of the Witwatersrand to take up: Social Anthropology, Psychology and French, through “UNISA”, a few years later.

With the ushering of the last decade of the 20^th Century, I began to travel with my husband, going “Around the World in 80 Days”, as well as, many other trips to Europe, Israel, Asia, Australia, Brazil and the USA.

By the mid-90s, I followed my husband to the USA where I lived till 2001, in San Diego, California.

Those were years of travels, attending workshops of personal interest (such as: Body & Soul conferences) given by well-known American authors and psychologists, and learning many arts and crafts.

A short return to Israel allowed me to open an arts and crafts studio, where I created my own works and taught lessons to interested students.

This time also marked the end of my marriage and my decision to return to my country of adoption.